Navy says second sub in 2014 in question

NEW LONDON, Conn. — If Congress doesn’t pass a budget this fiscal year, the Navy said it likely will not purchase a second Virginia-class submarine in 2014.

The Navy released its latest plans to Congress on Tuesday for how it will be impacted if the government continues to operate on a continuing resolution that funds spending at last year's levels, and if Congress does not act before March 1 to prevent the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration.

The continuing resolution expires March 27 and Congress could extend it for the rest of the fiscal year.

The Navy told Congress last month it would cancel a $45 million repair job on the USS Providence (SSN 719) at Electric Boat and two demolition projects at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton unless Congress agrees on a new budget. And if sequestration occurs, the Navy said it would delay repairs to the Groton-based USS Miami and cancel several attack submarine deployments.

At that time the Navy did not say the second submarine in 2014 was in jeopardy. A Navy spokeswoman said Tuesday’s update provides a higher level of detail.

EB in Groton and Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia jointly build two attack submarines per year.